How to thank your parents in a wedding speech

To thank your parents in a wedding speech, name them, say one specific thing each did, and say what it means to you now. One true detail is warmer than a long list, and it takes less than a minute.

If you are the couple giving the thanks, our thank you speech from the bride and groom covers the full order. This page is about getting the parents' thanks right.

The formula

1. Name them. "Mum, Dad" or first names if your family uses them.
2. One specific thing. A lift, a lesson, a habit, a sacrifice.
3. What it means now. One sentence connecting it to today.

Example lines to adapt

These are original to this page. Replace the brackets with something true.

Both parents:

• "Mum, Dad, you taught me that [specific lesson, such as turning up on time or always saying thank you]. I used it today, and I was only a little late."
• "Thank you for letting me make my own mistakes and for never once saying 'I told you so', although I know you wanted to."

One parent:

• "Dad, you drove me to [place] every Saturday for [number] years and never complained. I am telling everyone now so you cannot say you didn't."
• "Mum, you showed me that kindness is a decision you make every morning. That is why I chose [Partner]."

Your partner's parents:

• "[Names], thank you for welcoming me from the first day. You made me feel at home before I'd found the kettle."
• "Thank you for bringing up [Partner]. I know exactly who to credit."

Divorced or separated parents

Thank each parent in their own sentence, in the same number of words and the same tone. Do not mention the divorce, and do not pick sides. If a step-parent has been part of your life, name them as warmly as the others. If a parent is toasting you in return, our toast to my daughter and toast to my son guides show what they might say.

Example: "To my mum and to my dad, thank you. And to [Step-parent], thank you for [specific thing]. I am lucky to have all of you here."

A parent who has died

A short line is enough. Name them and say one true thing:

• "My dad, [Name], would have loved today. He would have made a speech twice as long as mine, and I would have let him."
• "Mum is not here, but every time I laugh like this, I hear her."

Then move on to the next thank you. Do not linger.

What to leave out

• Money, who paid for what, or how the wedding was organised.
• Stories that embarrass one parent in front of the other family.
• Lists of every relative. Choose two or three.
• "Thank you for everything." It says nothing. Say what.

Delivery

Thanks to parents are where voices crack. Put each parent on their own card, and write the name at the top. The free cue cards tool prints them or shows them on a phone. Pause after each name and look at them. The free wedding speech timer shows whether your thanks run too long.

Keep it short

Your thanks to your parents should take about a minute at most. If you have more to say, save it for a private note or a card on the day. The room wants to feel the warmth, and a long tribute can drag the speech and make the parents uncomfortable. One specific memory, said clearly, is worth more than a paragraph of general thanks.

Start your draft

Answer five questions on theweddingspeech.ai about your parents and what they did, and see your free speech preview.